I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to closures and, more particularly, to a closure for a beverage receptacle.
II. Description of the Prior Art
Many persons enjoy drinking coffee or other beverages, hereinafter collectively referred to as "coffee", particularly in the morning and many persons must consume their coffee while traveling in a motor vehicle. Such persons will include, for example, truck drivers, taxicab drivers, traveling salesmen and the like.
Persons who must, as a practical matter, consume their coffee in a motor vehicle oftentimes buy coffee "to go", i.e., coffee contained in a disposable paper or plastic cup having an open circular top. The open top of the disposable cup is typically closed by a plastic lid.
In order to drink the coffee, however, the lid must be removed from the disposable cup which is particularly hazardous in a moving motor vehicle. Spillage of the coffee caused by rapid braking of the motor vehicle, road vibration or the like is a common event and such spillage can undesirably stain one's clothing or the interior of the motor vehicle. Moreover, spillage of hot coffee on the driver of the vehicle is particularly hazardous and can even result in a motor vehicle accident.
There have, however, been a number of previously known closure members which are attachable to a beverage container and many of these closure members include spouts through which the beverage can be consumed without removal of the closure member and which limit the flow of the beverage through the spout. Such closure members, however, have not enjoyed wide use or acceptance for a number of different reasons.
One disadvantage of these previously known closure members is that the closure member is relatively complex, and thus expensive, in construction. The previously known closure members of this type, due to the high cost, economically are unsuitable for disposal after a single use. Thus, such closure members cannot be economically employed for use with the sale of "to go" coffee.
A still further disadvantage of these previously known closure members with spouts is that the spout is continuously open. Consequently, spillage of the beverage through the spout can disadvantageously occur prior to the actual sale of the beverage with this container. Although some of these closure members include caps which can be slid over the spout in order to close it, such caps can be easily and inadvertently dislodged so that the spillage of the beverage through the spout and prior to sale can still occur.